Ask yourself the "Miracle Question"

While studying Clinical Social Work, I was attracted to many components of Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). The approach invites people to focus on what change they would like to make, rather than focusing only on talking about the problem. In my experience, this can be a really valuable approach for some people. For some, it can be cathartic to relive and talk about past situations. For others, it can trigger unnecessary pain and distress that might not even help alleviate the overall situation! Anyways, I am going to share one (there are so many!) component of SFT, The Miracle Question, that I think is invaluable during a time of conflict or when I I want to make a change in my life.

Here is how it works. I am going to give you the basic, traditional question that therapists learn to explore with clients. Lol - if you go to a Solution Focused therapist, I am not saying that he or she is going to ask you this verbatim, but you will experience a version of it and it is SUPER helpful and proactive, even if you ask yourself on your own:

"Suppose our meeting is over, you go home, do whatever you planned to do for the rest of the day. And then, some time in the evening, you get tired and go to sleep. And in the middle of the night, when you are fast asleep, a miracle happens and all the problems that brought you here today are solved just like that. But since the miracle happened over night nobody is telling you that the miracle happened. When you wake up the next morning, how are you going to start discovering that the miracle happened? ... What else are you going to notice? What else?"

Go ahead. Try it. When I do it, it helps me quiet the distractions in my life and figure out what I would really like to work on, how I will create change and what will happen because of it. If you like this, check out the source listed below. There is a lot more good stuff about Solution Focused Therapy tools that you might find useful.



Source: http://www.solutionfocused.net/solutionfocusedtherapy.html

Positive Reinforcement

Kira Langolf made a suggestion in her podcast Fit Girl that I love love love: create a jar of rewards (i.e., getting a pedicure, buying a new outfit, getting a massage). At the beginning of the week, create your weekly goals. If, at the end of the week, you meet ALL of your goals, then stick your hand in the jar and pick one! Of course, you can add to the jar at any time!

I love this system for many reasons:

1.Positive reinforcement increases the likelihood that an action will take place (remember B.F.Skinner and all those lab rats who were happy to keep pressing down a bar because they were rewarded with food?). Find a way to reinforce behavior that you want to incorporate into your lifestyle.

2.I find out what I really want when I place my ideas in the jar. It is SO easy to want, want, want and want more - this helps me narrow down what really counts as a reward to me.

3. I am more careful with making my goals - I make sure they are smart: Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

So, here are my goals (I won't break them down completely for reading's sake, but make sure that you really spell out how you are going to make them happen) for a six week period:

Weekly
1. Do three days of cardio training
2. Do two days of resistance training
3. Eat three servings of veggies
4. Eat three servings of fruit
5. Go to Bikram yoga 2x during the week

SO----I am starting week three today and I have not hit my goals entirely. I am A-Ok with the workouts, but have not done all seven days for the fruits and veggies. Ahem...and yoga - yikes! I have not gone once in the past two weeks.So, here is a great example for setting realistic goals: with my current schedule, going to yoga 2x a week is not realistic. So, going forward, my goal for the remaining four weeks is to go once during the week.

SO, needless to say, my toe nails are starting to look a bit rough.

I am determined to hit every goal for this week!!

Feel free to share your goals with me at workitwithjudy@gmail.com. I am more than happy to help you make them SMART.

Have a great weekend:)

Healthy Hints

Prevention provides a great tool for exercising portion control. According to a Feb'09 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, how much you eat rather than what you eat has a greater influence on weight loss.

How can you make your own food decision instead of following a prescribed diet? By exercising portion control. While it is important to make sure that your food intake incorporates fruit, veggies, protein and whole grains, it is also important to listen to and respect your body's cravings. If I am craving a TWIX bar, but do all the things I read about to suppress cravings (i.e., eat frozen grapes instead), you had better believe that I am going to eat the grapes, probably some other food and then get right back to the TWIX to satisfy my desire. Hmmm...it doesn't seem right that trying to avoid certain foods often leads to over consumption. Make all foods an option, just exercise portion control (go for 1 TWIX, not 12).

Hipster moves: Piriformis

We are going to begin our hip series with a brief overview of the deep external rotators. In day to day life, it is easy to forget that our backside is composed of many muscles that facilitate SO much of our movement (walking, stabilizing, running, rotating etc). It is important that they are strengthened and stretched:) It is the red muscle highlighted in the above picture

What is it?
The Piriformis is a small, flat, triangular muscle made up of horizontal fibers that cross behind the hip joint. Connecting your lower spine (sacrum) to the top of your femur (thigh bone), it helps your femoral head stay in its socket and aids in external rotation of the hip, stabilization and alignment of the hip.

What will it feel like when it is tight?
You will experience tightness in the hips, buttocks, lower back and maybe even into the legs. If you experience pain in the rear of your legs, check out this link to learn about and hopefully rule out sciatica.

How can I stretch it?
See the picture below. I relax my head to the ground while doing this stretch. Stretch 2x with each leg and hold it for between 30 and 60 seconds each time. Remember to breathe!
When I am really tight, I roll on a foam roller or place a tennis ball under my glutes

Sources: The Stretching Institute,Web MD,Beeble's Fitness Blog,Pt On The Net

Daily Dosage

Today, we are going to take a look at Vitamin A. Lets begin!

What does it do for me?
*stimulates the production and activity of white blood cells (which can
help destroy unhealthy bacteria and infections!)
*helps remodel bones
*promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory,
urinary and intestinal tracts
*regulates cell growth, division and the immune system

What should I eat?
Ok, so Vitamin A can come from animal and plant sources....I am going to list the plant sources. Although the body absorbs the nutrients from the animal sources more efficiently, I would rather direct you towards veggies than whole milk, cheese & beef liver!! Hee, hee, sounds tempting, eh? If anything, take a multivitamin and eat your fruits and veggies. So, here are some sources of Vitamin A:
*carrots
*spinach
*sweet potato
*pumpkin
*collard greens
*winter squash
*kale
*cantaloupe
*apricots
*mango
Fortified cereal is another option! Just check the labels and pick an organic or non-processed cereal (if you don't understand the ingredients, chances are good that you don't need it).

How much do I need to eat?
Women: 2,300 IU Daily
Men: 3000 IU Daily
*incorporate the aforementioned fruits and veggies (don't worry not all of them on one day)into your daily servings. Visit MyPyramid to determine your daily needs of fruits and veggies. I aim for three serving of fruits and three servings of veggies. It is a little higher than my requirments, but I find that I have way more energy and it helps carry me through the days when I am having a hard time getting in my fruits and veggies.

Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Harvard School of Public Health

Starting the day off right

I am not a morning person. In my ideal scenario, my alarm goes off, I jump out of bed, promptly drink water and start my morning off with a meditation and some stretching. Ok, here is my actual scenario: I am a snoozer and all of my concentration and focus goes into getting out of bed, fueling my body and getting out the door on time. Regardless of how many times I roll over in bed, I know that I have to make sure I have a great breakfast. Fueling my body with carbs, fat and protein ensures that my day starts off on a good note and that I have the energy to meet my daily goals and commitments.

Typically, when I don't get enough food in the morning, I feel like I am playing catch up with my food intake and my energy level throughout the rest of the day. As my sister so brilliantly pointed out "it is called breakfast for a reason - you are breaking the fast". So...bottom line: make it happen. Even if you are on the go and don't have time, eat within an hour of waking up, it will make the rest of your day much more enjoyable! Here are some of my favorite and functional breakfasts, broken down into leisurely mornings, on the go & about to be late.

Leisurely mornings:
Egg Sandwich
One egg
One whole wheat english muffin or two slices of whole wheat bread
1/4 avocado spread on muffin or bread
Dash of salt
1 Cup of water

Waffles
Kashi Go Lean Whole Grain Waffles, TJ whole grain waffles
2 teaspoons of Smart balance butter spread on waffles
2 pieces MorningStar Bacon (Soy) or 1MorningStar
1 Cup of water

On the Go:
Cereal
1 serving size of any of the following cereals: Kashi, Nature's Path Organic (or any organic whole grain cereal)
1/2 cup of soy milk or 1% milk
1 cup of water

Oatmeal
Kashi individual oatmeal packages (Creamy True Vanilla or Hearty Honey Cinnamon)
Serving size of Quaker's Oats Oatmeal, made with 1/2cup of milk, mixed with 1/2 banana (this will take longer than the instant oatmeal)
1 cup of water

About to be late:
Trail Mix
1/4 cup of almonds mixed with 1/4 cup of dried fruit
1 cup of water

Sandwich
Two pieces of whole wheat bread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1/2 chopped banana, 1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of water

Nothing will work unless you do. - John Wooden

Exercise is work. Life changes require work.

Like Wooden points out, work will create changes. Sometimes I get tempted by false promises: "feel great in six days!", "Drop a size in three hours"...I don't think that I am as tempted by the end result as I am by the suggestion that I don't have to DO all that much work to get to it.

If it sounds to good to be true, it is too good to be true! Being healthy and creating sustainable change is hard and challenging work. I liken it to finding a great pair of shoes...While I love them and look forward to feeling great when I wear them, I know that the first few weeks are going to involve blisters, sore feet and a lot of under my breath cursing. After putting in my due time and diligence, I will feel comfortable in my shoes.

It is the same with exercise and healthy eating. The first few weeks (ok, months even) are hard and uncomfortable. Eventually (I promise), the shoe will fit! Here are some tips that I find helpful and that ensure I am doing my part.

* Schedule exercise sessions and honor the appointments

* Make sure that you eat three fruits and three servings of veggies daily (for some reason, this one is really challenging for me!)

* Do exercise that you enjoy. Why do something you dread, when you can do something you like. Exercise variety is abundant and there is no reason to feel pigeon holed by exercise. I encounter "exercise guilt" when I talk to some women who feel like they should LOVE to run, but don't really even enjoy it. Here is my suggestion: DON'T RUN. Try dancing, hiking, the elliptical, swimming, etc.

Women & Weights

How wild is this: "According to the National Center for Health Statistics, a mere 21 percent of women strength train two or more times a week". YIKES! I remember when I was in college, I wanted to feel strong and look long and lean. I wanted muscle tone in my arms....So, what did I do? I ran. and ran. and ran.

I was very confused when my hard work did not lead to sculpted arms and tight abs. I know that correlating muscle tone with movements that do not overload the body (or even necessarily use all body parts) might sound silly, but I don't think it is an uncommon thought for women.

Now, many years later and much better educated, I understand the importance of resistance training and lifting weights. Women's Health's Pump Up, Slim Down article highlights some of the great benefits women experience when they incorporate weight training into their exercise routine. I have listed some below. Check out the article for more information.

*Women who strength train burn more calories after 1-hour long sessions than women who don't strength train
*Muscle takes up less volume than fat! (Great reason to not rely solely on scales)

Ramen done right

Quite simply, Ramen and Cup of Noodles makes me drool. Unfortunately (or fortunately), when I think of the somewhat disturbing ingredients (beef powder?!?) & the sodium intake, I lose my appetite. And then I experienced....Ramen that is equally delicious and healthy! China Bowl Select Authentic Chinese Noodles (Whole Foods) taste EXACTLY the same as the Nissin noodles. Really.

Here are a few things about that noodles that I love:
*There are only three ingredients: wheat flour, water & salt
*The fiber intake: 6 grams per serving!
*150 calories & 1 gram of fat

I typically throw them in with vegetable broth, mixed veggies and tofu. I am sure they will taste great with anything. Tonight, Raj surprised me with a soy sauce and ketchup combo that was quite tasty:)

Enjoy!

How do you create healthy habits?

Habits provide structure and familiarity in a hectic life. When stress piles up or challenging times surface, habits proclaim "familiarity! comfort!". And then very quietly, they mumble... "but I might not really help you in the long run".

Choosing a habit that helps
A healthy habit will be energetic and fulfilling. It will enhance your health and well-being, rather than compromise it. Healthy habits will relieve anxiety rather than exacerbate tension.

Habits that help rather than hinder
Be willing to try different ones out. Find what works for you. Explore what truly interests you, rather than what you think you should be interested in. There is NO ideal way to spend time or cope; we are all different.

Be patient with yourself. New habits can be like breaking in a new pair of shoes; they are horribly awkward and uncomfortable at first, but the more that we use them, the better they fit.

Breaking unhealthy habits
What role did the habit play in your life? How can you fulfill that role in a healthy way? In order to create sustainable change, form a new, healthy habit to replace the old one. Thank the unhealthy habit for the hard times it has accompanied you through and then kindly show it to the door.

Work It

Don't forget your triceps - the muscles in the back of your arms. When toning, don't overlook these guys - they account for a lot of your upper arm strength and appearance. Health has an article that includes one of my favorite triceps exercises: The Crab Sit with Dip.

The article suggests working up to two sets of 24 reps. Don't worry if you start and are NOWHERE close to that. I find that most people start in the 10 to 15 range.

Healthy Hints

If you are similar to me, hunger takes my great mood, twists it and voila! I am Oscar the Grouch. To avoid the irritation and fatigue that accompanies low blood sugar: carry a backup snack with you at all times. Here are a few of my favorites:
*1/4 cup of Trader Joe's salted almonds mixed with 1/4 cup of dried fruit
*Kashi GOLEAN! Crunchy Bars (I love chocolate pretzel)
*Whole wheat toast, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1/2 banana, a bit of honey

She said what?

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
Eleanor Roosevelt

A watchful eye

Down with dieting!
It is so thrilling to read more articles advocating lifestyle changes, rather than quick "fixes" (which usually create even more trouble). WebMD has a great article that talks about the 5 worst diets that are the least effective and most dangerous. The beauty of this article is that you can essentially place any diet that you have ever heard of (or tried) within the five categories.

So, what is it about diets that keeps people coming back for more? I think it is the hope, the possibility of a quick change. Think about jumping into a cold pool. Diving in, rather than easing in, makes it much easier to adjust to the temperature. Who wants to inch her way in and feel every moment of it? Not many. Small life style changes can feel painfully similar to easing into cold water. Quick results and a stress free life are not a promise. Small changes will bring huge results, but the key ingredients are time and consistency.

Stealing the words from a recent homily "Focus on reality, not possibility". Go for a walk. Eat more veggies. Drink a cup of water. Make fruit salad. Eat something you love and truly enjoy it. Pay attention to portion size. You will not adjust to the new temperature immediately, but the end result will be refreshing, rather than deceiving.